Radial blowers are used in a wide variety of applications including industrial, electronic and personal uses. For example, cooling devices such as fans for cooling electronic components or providing air conditioning, and other positive air pressure devices, such as filtration devices, frequently include radial blowers. Such blowers typically have a central inlet and an impeller that draws air through the inlet as it is rotated by a motor and forces the air in a circular direction. A scroll often provides a housing for the blower components and includes an air passageway that wraps around the circumference of the impeller. The impeller can force air through the air passageway and out an outlet.
Many factors influence flow velocity and pressure and the efficiency of a radial blower. For example, fluid density, motor speed and power, impeller design and size, and the shape and size of the scroll all impact the efficiency and output of a radial blower. In some industrial applications design of a radial blower is driven by efficiency and output requirements; shape and size are not significant limiting factors. In other applications where a user transports the device containing a radial blower, such as a powered air purifying respirators, the size and shape of the blower can be particularly constrained by ergonomic and transportation feasibility considerations.
There exists a need for a radial blower for use in powered air purifying respirators that can meet output and efficiency requirements while fitting within design constraints.